Apple launches cheaper, 8GB iPhone 5c for £429

Apple has quietly launched a new, cheaper version of the iPhone 5c with just 8GB storage. It costs £429 in the UK which is £40 less than the 18GB model. This matched our estimates yesterday that the 8GB iPhone 5c would cost around £429 SIM-free.

Apple has quietly launched a new, cheaper version of the iPhone 5c with just 8GB storage. It costs £429 in the UK which is £40 less than the 18GB model. This matched our estimates yesterday that the 8GB iPhone 5c would cost around £429 SIM-free.

Apple's website in the US is not yet offering the 8GB iPhone 5c. This may be due to the time there currently (middle of the night). Or perhaps it is due to the differences in the way that the networks subsidise the iPhone 5c. It seems likely that the US Apple site will be updated soon.

There were rumours on Monday 18 March that Apple intended to drop the price of the colourful iPhone 5c, and that it would launch a 8GB version. It turns out that the rumours were correct.

It is possible that the reason for Apple's change of heart in releasing a slightly cheaper iPhone 5c is due to disappointing sales of the iPhone 5c, industry experts have always speculated that Apple priced the iPhone 5c range too high for the part of the market that many said they needed to win over in order to match Samsung's marketshare growth.

Monday's rumours were sparked by allegedly leaked documents from O2 Germany that referred to a new, 8GB version of the iPhone 5c. According to the document, the new version of the iPhone 5c would cost 509 Euros, which is 60 Euros cheaper than the current entry-level 16GB iPhone 5c. The price is actually €549 Euros, which is a €50 Euro saving.

It may not sound like a big saving but we expect that the phone networks will continue to subsidise the iPhone 5c, we expect that the upfront pricing on a contract will be minial or non existent.

O2 has already announced iPhone 5c pricing, starting from £0 to £409, upfront.

The leaked document suggested that the iPhone 5c would be available in just white and blue to begin with, but this is not the case. You can buy an iPhone 5c in any of the five colours of the iPhone 5c range.

The question, though, is whether this last-ditch attempt at saving the iPhone 5c will work. Will we ever see an iPhone 6c or is the colourful, plastic-backed iPhone in for a short stint in Apple's smartphone the line-up?